Free (& Cheap) Halloween Events in SF (2010)050

The ghosts of Halloweens past are haunting the city in 2010; San Francisco is no longer hosting a large-scale event in the Castro or AT&T Park. But never fear, we've got lots of other free and inexpensive Halloween kids' and family events and activities to share with you!

Check our calendar for more Halloween events and activities for kids around San Francisco and the Bay Area!

October 9, 2010 Parents can donate unwanted Halloween costumes and swap 'em out for "new" ones at a Kids Costume Swap at Marin Kids Consignment.

October 16 & 17, 2010: Children and their families are invited to come in costume to the Bay Area Discovery Museum's annual Goblin Jamboree Fundraiser and explore the museum, ride a train or real ponies, visit the spooky-but-not-scary Haunted Pier, make potions in the all-new Witches' and Wizard's School, visit the petting zoo, and participate in games and activities. Live entertainment features Jimbo Trout, Tim Cain, Brainy Tunes, Magic Circus, The Hip Waders, and more.

October 16 & 17, 2010: The 40th Annual Pumpkin Festival features a special display of gigantically enormous champion pumpkins, three stages of entertainment, live music, the Great Pumpkin Parade with Nickelodeon superstars SpongeBob SquarePants and Diego, a Haunted House, harvest-inspired crafts, homestyle foods, expert pumpkin carver Farmer Mike, pie-eating and costume contests, and a Battle of the Bands.

October 22, 2010: Stern Grove's Scare Grove offers Halloween family fun in the form of giant inflatables, hay rides, a haunted house, live performances, and carnival rides.

October 23, 2010 The annual Hootenanny offers families of the Haight-Ashbury and surrounding neighborhoods with a safe and fun place to celebrate Halloween. Sponsored by the Haight-Ashbury Street Fair, the day includes performers, exhibitions, and creative hands-on activities - all within a carnival sideshow theme.

October 23, 2010: Booksmith hosts a Halloween event, which features a specially-illustrated reading of Vampire Boy's Good Night, mask-making, seasonal snacks and drinks, a costume contest, a raffle for special prizes, book signings, and face-painting.

October 29, 2010: Kids are invited to show up in costume to meet some ghosts and witches, play games, and trick-or-treat at Gamble Garden.

October 29, 2010: Families can take part in a spooktacular, but non-scary, holiday event at Peekadoodle Kidsclub, which includes art and cooking projects, refreshments, live musical entertainment, and family portraits

October 28-31: The Sea Dogs and Stark Ravens Historical Players, in conjunction with Friends of San Rafael, host a Pirate Haunt at Falkirk Cultural Center, which includes ghastly scenes, The Undead Music Review, pirates brew, Tarot readings, and plenty of pirate goodies, popcorn and scurvy-reducing snacks for little pirates.

For a complete schedule of events and entertainment, visit the website. The event takes place along Main Street in Half Moon Bay.

October 29, 2010: The Halloween Ghost Walk at City Hall is available just one time a year, and includes spooky lore about City Hall and the surrounding area.

October 29-31, 2010: Little ones are invited to a not-too-scary Halloween event at Habitot Childrens Museum, which features slime-making, miniature golf in the spooky cemetery, making ghoulish ghosts, and listening to Halloween stories.

October 30, 2010: Brenda Wong Aoki performs ghost stories in concert with Asian jazz pioneer and Emmy Award-winning composer Mark Izu - all at the . The two are backed up by Taiko drums, multiple percussion, saxophone, and shakuhachi. The event repeats on October 31 at Yoshi's in San Francisco

October 30, 2010: Little princesses, pirates, and pumpkins can parade through the Oakland Zoo in costume, discover tricks and treats during a Spooky Scavenger Hunt, ride the Boo Choo-Choo, visit creepy crawly animals, and enjoy live entertainment.

October 30, 2010: Paxton Gates Curiosities for Kids hosts a free Halloween party, which includes a "shrunken head" (apple) project.

October 30, 2010: Families are invited to a spooktacular celebration at Chabot Space & Science Center, which includes trick-or-treating, sinister hands-on activities, costumes, spooky read-alongs, and simulated space flights. Note: advance reservations and additional payment is required for space missions (1pm &3pm).

October 30, 2010: Farley's Coffeehouse hosts its 20th Annual Pet Fest. Kids and animals can show off their costumes to admiring crowds.

October 30, 2010: Kids can get in the Halloween spirit with games, spooky music, and scary crafts at Borders Books & Music. Other area Borders locations are scheduled to host the event; call ahead before heading out.

October 31, 2010: Kids can meet Japan's most memorable demons, ghosts, and goblins in a storytelling program set among some of the most terrifying objects in the Asian Art Museum's collection.

October 31, 2010: Town Center gives kids complimentary trick-or-treat bags (while supplies last) to fill with treats and goodies from all Town Center participating merchants for a safe and fun Halloween celebration.

October 31, 2010: Charity and the JAMband perform their only fall concert, which includes a costume contest, t-shirt giveaway, and a parade party. The event takes place at The Beach Chalet.

October 31, 2010: Solano Avenue celebrates Halloween with a costume contest, performances by Doctor Solar, and trick-or-treating at businesses (3pm-5pm).

October 31, 2010: Derique the Electric Clown hosts an event for young children and their families at Yerba Buena Gardens, during which kids can parade around the Rooftop Gardens in their Halloween finery and visit participating haunts for treats, games, and storytelling during the Gardens Halloween Costume Walk.

October 31, 2010 Jelly Belly hosts a costume parade during which kids tromp through the Haunted House during the candy factory tour, get their faces painted, watch clown antics, and sample treats.

October 31, 2010: ShadowLight Productions present a performance of The Metamorphosis of Karaghiozis, in which award-winning shadow artist Leonidas Kassapides joins live musicians in Civic Center to perform the traditional Greek form of storytelling with shadow puppetry.

October 31, 2010: Families are invited to bring the kids in costume and visit friendly Alameda merchants for Halloween treats, costume contests, and pumpkin giveaways during Halloween on Webster Street.

October 31, 2010:Full Circle Farm hosts an evening that includes activity stations, old fashioned apple cider, a treat bake off, little spookster costume contest, music, storytelling, and, for those brave enough ... a run through the corn fields after sunset.

October 31, 2010: Families can discover the darker side of the Richardson Bay Audubon CenterSanctuary as a Naturalist guides a twilight exploration.